Clarks workers supported

As Labour Research went to press, employment conciliation service Acas was attempting to resolve the dispute at shoe retailer Clarks over their controversial use of “fire and rehire” tactics.

Members of the Community union who work at Clarks Westway distribution warehouse in the village of Street, Somerset, have been on strike since early October. The action followed the company’s threat to dismiss them and rehire them on worse terms.

Community general secretary Roy Rickhuss said: “Over the past month, workers at Clarks have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of support that people from across the country have given them.”

The retailer suffered huge losses during the pandemic with worldwide sales down by up to 45%, and the Clark family subsequently sold its majority stake to a Hong Kong-based private equity firm LionRock.

It is now attempting to introduce new contracts which, according to the BBC, would cut pay for some of the long-serving employees by as much as 20%.

Rickhuss said: “Fire-and-rehire is cruel and wrong, and everyone is aware of this. Clarks is a staple brand on the British high street, with a history dating back over a century. Their roots in their local community go even deeper.”

He pointed out that there was a time when “Clarks built schools, libraries and theatres for their workers and their families in Somerset”. He added: “This is a betrayal of their roots, and everything Clarks once stood for.”